Module 8. LISTENING. Tips & Practice

🎧 Part 1: Multiple Choice (Extracts)

The Challenge: These are short, fast-paced recordings. You only hear them twice, and the distractors (wrong answers) are very convincing.

• Tip: Listen for the "Gist": Don't get stuck on a single word you didn't understand. Part 1 often asks about the speaker's purpose (e.g., are they complaining, agreeing, or clarifying?).

• Strategy: Read the questions before the audio starts. Highlight the keywords in the options. If the audio mentions an option but then uses a word like "nonetheless," "actually," or "mind you," the speaker is likely about to change their mind—and that's where the real answer lies.

  
  

📝 Part 2: Sentence Completion

The Challenge: You must identify the exact word(s) that fit the gap. This part tests your ability to follow a monologue and your spelling.

• Tip: Grammatical Prediction: Look at the words surrounding the gap before listening.

  • Example: "Hollywood is currently obsessed with _______ to ensure profit."

  • The gap follows a preposition ("with"), so you are looking for a noun or a gerund.

• Strategy: Focus on synonyms. The speaker might say "Big studios are focused on Intellectual Property," while your paper says "obsessed with." If you hear the synonym, the answer is usually right next to it.

• Crucial Rule: If you hear "Blockbuster" (singular) and the sentence requires a plural, check if "Blockbusters" was actually said. In CAE, plural/singular errors lose marks.

  
  

🎙️ Part 3: Long Interview/Discussion

The Challenge: This is the longest part (approx. 4-6 minutes). It covers complex attitudes and abstract ideas (like the rise and fall of corporate giants).

• Tip: Follow the Roadmap: The questions always follow the order of the audio. If you miss Question 16, move immediately to 17 so you don't get lost.

• Strategy: Listen for agreement and disagreement. In CAE, one speaker often proposes an idea and the other "softens" it (e.g., "I see your point, but isn't it also true that..."). The question will often ask what they both agree on.

  
  

🧩 Part 4: Multiple Matching

The Challenge: This is the most difficult section. You have to match 5 speakers to two different lists of options simultaneously (though in your digital version, we focus on matching perspectives to statements).

• Tip: Category Theming: Don't look for the exact words; look for the "theme."

  • Cognitive Ease: Look for keywords like familiar, easy, predictable, comfort.

  • Social Currency: Look for keywords like talk of the town, group, friends, conversation.

  • Narrative Transport: Look for keywords like lost in the world, immersed, escape.

• Strategy: Treat the two tasks separately during the two listenings. Use the first listen to get the "main idea" for Task A and the second listen to refine your choices for Task B.